HBR On Leadership: Episode Summary - "When One of Your Employees Is Working Against You"
Release Date: April 9, 2025
Host/Author: Harvard Business Review
Guest: Adrian Gostic, Co-Author of Leading with Gratitude
Duration: Approximately 35 minutes
Introduction
In this episode of HBR On Leadership, hosts Dan McGinn and Alison Beard delve into the challenging scenario where an employee actively works against the manager and the organization's interests. Featuring insights from executive coach Adrian Gostic, the episode offers practical strategies to identify, address, and mitigate the impact of subversive behavior in the workplace.
Understanding Subversive Employees
The episode begins with an exploration of subversive employees—those who intentionally create problems, manipulate office dynamics, and undermine colleagues to appear indispensable. Such behavior not only disrupts team harmony but also hampers organizational efficiency.
Key Quote:
“Some employees don't just cause problems, they create them on purpose. Subversive employees manipulate office politics, undermine colleagues, and make themselves look indispensable, all while frustrating the people who actually see what's happening.”
— Dan McGinn [00:41]
Case Study 1: The Problematic IT System Administrator
Scenario: A manager faces challenges with a tenured IT system administrator who deliberately misconfigures devices, creating issues that he subsequently resolves to gain favor with senior executives. This behavior leads to inconsistencies in service quality and breeds resentment among team members.
Discussion & Insights:
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Initial Approach – Leading with Positivity: Adrian emphasizes starting interactions with positivity and gratitude to understand the root cause of the behavior.
Key Quote:
“There's some reason why somebody's being subversive, and the best thing for any leader to do is to start with positivity... identify the good things they're doing versus just beating them up for the things that may be wrong.”
— Adrian Gostic [02:12] -
Distinguishing Difficult vs. Toxic Employees: Adrian differentiates between difficult employees, who may be challenging but manageable, and toxic employees whose behavior is detrimental to the team.
Key Quote:
“There are difficult employees, and then there are toxic employees... those toxic employees, those are the ones where, yeah, we do have to take a firmer, more disciplined approach in our leadership styles.”
— Adrian Gostic [02:52] -
Escalating to Senior Leadership: When direct interventions fail, Adrian advises preparing a compelling case backed by data to present to senior leadership, highlighting the inefficiencies caused by the subversive employee.
Key Quote:
“You have to try and bring it back to the business need... use cold, hard facts.”
— Alison Beard [08:05] -
Implementing Systems to Prevent Manipulation: Suggestions include introducing a ticketing system to ensure equal treatment for all requests, regardless of the requester’s rank, and setting clear metrics for performance evaluation.
Key Quote:
“Time should be the metric that the helper is judged on, whether it's the VP or whether it's the admin.”
— Dan McGinn [07:30] -
Direct Conversations and Coaching: Adrian and Alison stress the importance of having direct, fact-based conversations with the employee, outlining the consequences and offering support through coaching or training.
Key Quote:
“You have to try. But you're right, Alison. Of course, that's where we have to start.”
— Adrian Gostic [10:45]
Case Study 2: The Knowledge Hoarder
Scenario: A manager struggles with a team member who, despite being a deep technical expert, hoards information, is poor at time management, and exhibits defensive behavior during feedback sessions. This individual's cultural background is cited as a possible factor influencing her managerial style.
Discussion & Insights:
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Understanding Underlying Causes: Adrian highlights that knowledge hoarding can stem from fear of losing a competitive edge or feeling overwhelmed by constant demands.
Key Quote:
“Sometimes it's because they fear they're gonna lose a competitive advantage, but it's often just because they are too pressed for time...”
— Alison Beard [17:17] -
Implementing Structured Check-Ins: Introducing regular weekly meetings to set clear goals and monitor progress can help address time management and prioritization issues.
Key Quote:
“One of the simple ways you can do that is Monday morning asking for a weekly check-in...”
— Adrian Gostic [21:26] -
Encouraging Humility and Openness: Fostering an environment where the employee acknowledges the need for change and is open to continuous improvement is crucial.
Key Quote:
“She has got to be able to have the humility to say, I'm willing to change and I need to change...”
— Adrian Gostic [18:38] -
Utilizing External Coaching: If internal interventions fail, engaging an external coach can provide the necessary perspective to help the employee recognize and alter her behavior.
Key Quote:
“If this person is that valuable to them, find them a coach who can help them.”
— Adrian Gostic [22:55]
Case Study 3: Toxic High-Performers Creating a Cliquish Environment
Scenario: A senior manager in a small, predominantly female team faces issues with two exceptionally skilled employees whose dominant personalities lead to a cliquish and subtly bullying work environment. Despite their high performance, their behavior undermines team cohesion and the manager's authority.
Discussion & Insights:
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Assessing Managerial Weaknesses: Adrian points out that the manager's reluctance to exert authority and address subtle bullying has allowed the toxic behavior to persist.
Key Quote:
“This is a weak manager who needs to... be a little tougher here.”
— Adrian Gostic [26:39] -
Promoting Accountability and Clear Expectations: Establishing and enforcing clear behavioral standards, possibly with the support of HR, can help mitigate toxic behavior.
Key Quote:
“This manager and she's admitted I'm not the best micromanager. She needs intervention from HR...”
— Adrian Gostic [27:55] -
Creative Solutions for Workplace Dynamics: Reassigning office spaces to reduce direct interaction between toxic employees or implementing team-building exercises to foster inclusivity.
Key Quote:
“Simply putting them 50ft across the floor from each other could have a really profound change.”
— Dan McGinn [28:55] -
Direct Conversations and Firm Boundaries: Engaging in candid discussions with the problematic employees, outlining unacceptable behaviors, and the potential consequences for continued misconduct.
Key Quote:
“You have to create some documentation, but it's taking a lot of my time and resources to manage this, and we got to figure it out.”
— Adrian Gostic [30:13]
Conclusion and Takeaways
The episode underscores the importance of proactive leadership in addressing subversive and toxic behaviors within teams. Key strategies include:
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Starting with Positivity: Approach problematic employees with gratitude and understanding to uncover underlying issues.
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Data-Driven Advocacy: Present clear, factual evidence to senior leadership to highlight the impact of the employee's behavior.
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Implementing Systems: Utilize structured processes like ticketing systems to ensure fairness and accountability.
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Direct and Firm Communication: Have candid conversations outlining expectations, consequences, and the path forward.
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Leveraging External Support: Engage coaches or external resources when internal efforts are insufficient.
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Evaluating Managerial Practices: Ensure that management practices support a healthy, inclusive, and respectful work environment.
Final Thought: Effective leadership is not about avoiding conflict but managing it constructively to foster a thriving organizational culture.
Final Quote:
“This is a problem best tackled directly and with a lot more backbone.”
— Alison Beard [33:07]
This episode serves as a vital resource for leaders facing the difficult task of managing employees who work against organizational goals. By implementing the discussed strategies, leaders can navigate these challenges, ensuring both team harmony and organizational success.